The Journals of Prince Gerard of Amber

On Denistry and Children.

2010-01-12T14:34:15Z

I need more daughters.

It's not that they can't throw a punch, it's just that they're less likely to.

Note to Self

2009-12-15T15:50:14Z

Liam's eyeballs didn't explode at my codpiece at Bley's wedding, and no one was afraid.

Must try harder.

Conundrum

2009-12-08T14:04:15Z

I discovered Glanworth's has been closed.

Who will I get to make my codpiece for Bleys' wedding?

LONG AGO: Between a Roc and a.....

2009-11-27T15:26:20Z

The wind blew through the giants hair as he stood on the edge of the precipice. He had a dull ache at the back of the skull and the sun was just a touch too bright for his eyes as it reflected off the desert sand below. His memory of the tavern the night before was still a little hazy. He clearly remembered a drinking contest, which he was sure he won. He also remembered a boasting contest, which in some ways he must have lost. Unfortunately not only was he a prince of the realm, but an honorable one. So when he gave his word, even with liquor loosening his tongue, he had to keep it. He hefted the rope in his hands, lighter then silk, but stronger then titanium cable. He thought it might be a little over kill, but if you were going to do a thing, he always believed, never do it half way.

A loud screech rocked the mountain and the muscled man grabbed his hand and winced as his hangover amplified the sonar vibrations. He took a breath as the creature came into view. It was bigger then he had imagined. Like a great black crow, the beast's beak could swallow a man whole. It's wing span was over two acres in size, an acre per wing. It's blood stained claws large enough to crush an Abrams main battle tank like a empty aluminum pop can. Ok, so maybe the rope wasn't overkill after all. He begun swinging the lasso over his head. He paused looking over the bird, and made the loop larger, then started again. He let it fly, and on the first try looped the neck and was surprised by the strength of the creature. If he had not tied the rope around his waist he would of lost it. As it was he found himself dangling 30 feet below the creature. His strong arms, taunt from years of naval service, pulled the man up, hand over hand, as the creature thrashed in the air, unhappy with it's leash. It took nearly an hour to reach the neck, but he wad hardly the type to give up. Finally, his arms burning from the strain, he sat astride the Roc. The creature bucked like a unbroken bronco trying to dislodge the man, but he only laughed looping the rope around making a bridle. He fought to tame the kind of the air.

The merchant swore at the noonday sun wishing for shade as he treked his line of camels across the golden waste. As if the spirits of the sand had heard him, a great shadow of a cloud turned day into night, coming upon him from the rear. The merchant looked up in relief, this part of the desert rarely saw rain so such clouds were great omens. He saw no clouds though, his face paling at what crossed his vision. His camels broke and ran as the great bird of prey closed on them. The merchant shuddered and dropped to his knees, knowing running was a waste of time. Only one thing could save him and he looked through his bag for his lamp, and the magical spirit enslaved inside. His mind reeled and raced as to what to wish for. He sat in indecision frozen with fear trying o think of the best option. His eyes picked out a form on the back of the creature and he stared in disbelief at his drinking companion of the night before. "You actually did it?"

"I said I would, now I think you owe me one magic lamp?" That was the bet. He looked at his most prized, most valuable possession in the world, and then up at the man above. He shook his head slowly, and tossed the lamp to the Roc-rider. The Genie, a beautiful woman woven of magic and desire, kneeled, floating in the air before him. "What is your wish, my new master?" she asked in a breathy voice. Gerard of Amber took a long appraising look at the woman and smiled from the back of his new pet bird.

-Text by Syed

Captain's Log: Camaron Association of Retired Pirates

2009-11-20T18:16:53Z

CARP knows how to treat a guest speaker, let me tell you. My head feels like the inside of a codpiece, despite being adorned with one of those new-fangled Lovelace corsets from Begma. Apparently Begma gadgetry is becoming all the rage here. Maybe it's because the bodily harm caused by Begman artistry isn't too far off from that caused by a life of piracy, and CARP already has the hospitals in place.

The black crabs and other beasties seem to have gone all mulish and stopped multiplying. There's still plenty of them about, but at least they aren'tl,nhflh...sorry, I'm using the corset owner's back as a writing table and she's ticklish...

Still no Source for the draining of the Seas. I have a nasty suspicion it's not Black Road at all, but tied in to Minos's missing seas. They went somewhere, once, maybe they're all going now. Although, like the beasties, that seems to have slowed to a standstill. But we really don't want to be Minos, land of swamp and salt.

Hope things are doing well back home, and that Rebma hasn't gotten all uppity in my absence. One of these days, Benedict's going to just let out a scream and start hacking away, I just know it.

The RTA Drinking game

2009-10-08T21:04:54Z

Selections from the forthcoming party game from Barimen Games:

Drink if:

*Benedict has to correct someone about how to address him.

*Anyone dies and comes back to life, or has bits of them removed and grows back quickly.

*Despite there being an expert present, with a fancy title and everything, someone else is asked for advice.

*Someone announces they're pregnant. (Unless you are the one who is.)

*Take one drink for each exclamation mark from Taleyn.

*Take one drink for each extra "hi" used in a row from Raphaela on a channel.

*Anyone on the weir channel gets into a "mine's bigger" contest.

*Someone creates a character steeped in the history and blood of one shadow/house/playgroup, then spends all their time in another shadow/house/playgroup.

*A woman with impressive real estate holdings breath deeply.

*Addsion posts a My Zork Life entry. (Hint)

*Someone does a hit & run RP (comes into a scene, poses quickly, leaves) (Must drink whether this was arranged or not)

Drink everything in the room if:

*Benedict gives a soliloquy.

*Gilgamesh does not lose a weapon in a big fight.

*Someone creates a character with a rare bit from one shadow/house/playgroup, then spends all their time in another shadow/house/playgroup,or else stops logging in.

*Caine smiles good-naturedly.

*Julian breaks into a song and dance routine.

Running Errands

2009-08-27T19:32:57Z

People think this is easy.

"I wish I could walk that squiggle in the basement and go out and get whatever I want."

The problem is, when you can do it, people expect you to.

Delay #3, this trip: While these guys can breathe water and air, the pollen of this particular shadow we had to pass through turned them into balloons and they floated away.

Heading out for a slightly different shadow.

The Phantom Gossip

2009-08-11T12:46:46Z

+gossip/public ao-lower Freebasing Taleyn=Rumor has it that the old cults of Duelists...those who pitted Emma against Taleyn in fantasy dueling matches...have a new passion. They seek to aquire locks of Taleyn's hair, in hopes that freebasing it will grant them extra energy and exclamation po...

DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.DELETE.....

On the subject of hangovers.

2009-08-09T23:59:46Z

Taleyn is struck by a thought and eyes Gerard with a sort of calculating look. She has been drinking with the Prince before, and her brain is practically humming aloud with the effort of calculating the amount of booze it must have taken to give him a hangover. After a while, she nods, then asks, "Admiral, for the sake of checking my calculations, do you happen to recall how much Beverage you consumed?"

Gerard says, "Are we counting glasses or casks?"

Raphaela offers helpfully "Wine cellars?"

Taleyn purses her lips. "I was thinking of cubic feet, myself."

Rejected app #6789-b

2009-08-07T17:06:25Z

my idea for a character is that ee cummings is the secret son of brand i feel that i could play this character very well although setting my desc may be difficult as i hear i have to use an equals sign in the code however i feel that ee cummings or e to his friends would make a fine scion of amber in fact i believe he could beat liam out for his job please consider my application forthwith

The Festival of...AHEM.

2009-08-07T03:32:13Z

Some background: The first version of Gerard had a codpiece war with a certain Rebman Ambassador that escalated to horrific proportions. Since taking over Gerard, I have not had an idea for this bizarre fetish that would allow Gerard's escalations to continue.
Work was annoying enough Thurs that I got an idea, just to exercise my cruelty outside of my co-workers. Sorry, Lucius.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From afar, Lucius must now commit ritual suicide.

Lucius pages: CODPIECE. My party has been ruined by rock and roll, and crotch-mountains.

Having trouble distinguishing who is who amongst the crowd, Kincaid moves closer to the easiest figure to spot. "Evening again uncle." He greets Gerard and says, "Liam no longer performing? Hope you caught some of the performance it was very good."

Gerard turns towards Kincaid, thwacking him with Tir Na Nog. "Oh, sorry."

From afar, Gwen almost spit out her drink just now.
OOC: Celeste says, "So. Wrong."
OOC: Lucius says, "I know that's not what /I/ dream of."
OOC: Liam now has nightmares about being thwacked with Tir-Na Nog'th.

Kincaid would blink if he could and probably look horrified but he chcukles with a merry grin, "Um... thats okay. In fact I've got to ask." Not wanting to wave a hand toward the code piece but signaling it anyways, "Do I want to know what is so interesting about that?" Wincing a little.

Gerard says, "I'm simply wearing the Mighty Kolvir Mark I. At least you didn't run into Rebma."

Liam puts one hand over his mouth when Gerard talks about his, ah, appendage enhancement device. Then he can't help himself and asks: "Uncle Gerard, what would happen if someone DID run into Rebma?"

Gerard says, "A mighty roar. Rebma shall NOT be invaded! Bad things will happen if anyone tries."

New LJ to Befriend: "Minosan"

2009-07-31T17:25:53Z

Greetings!

I've created a LJ page for Minosan announcements and NPC posts. This way everything's in one place and can be handed off if I ever retire.

Included therein shall also be links to other LJ logs of things that happen in Minos, making it easier for people to find things, rather than "Wait, whose LJ account should I look for that, again?" as people go looking for logs. You'll still have to look, but you can keep it to one account to search. (To that end, if anyone has a link to a log from the past you want Minosan to list, toss Minosan a LJ msg.)

Now, given Cyndre's player was the one who maintained the community watch list (unless I misheard), and she's semi-retired, I don't know how long it'll take before Minosan to show up on the daily roll call of posts. so befriend Minosan if you want to see things before then, when you hit Friends.

If you don't give a damn about What's Going On In Minos, please pardon the spam!

Molly meets Darque. Love at first...wait. He's blind...

2009-07-26T23:45:59Z

Gerard is in his cups with a tall, bearded, and grim Minosan captain. The captain's rich brown wavy hair is shot with grey, and his red and brown velvets have seen better days. Oddly, he's wearing two eyepatches, one over each eye, and he carries a quarterstaff, leaned against his shoulder, rather than a cutlass. Gerard laughs uproariously at something, presumably by his companion. Molly arrives at the door in the unusual company of a grizzled and thoroughly drunken elderly seaman, who may have just recently been seen leaving this establishment. "That one?" She asks with incredulity. "The one at Danger's table?"

Darque rumbles, "She was last seen rolling round and round the whirlpool, trying to paddle out of it."

Molly tosses a coin to the old sailor in response to a slurred and mumbled answer and moves further into the room. She quickly aquires a mug and a bottle of rum and, with determined agenda writ large on her face, heads towards Gerard and Darque, bottle held out before her like a beacon of, well, rum. "Captain Danger, what a pleasure to find you here." She gives a little nod towards Darque, pauses uncertainly, taking in the two patches, and adds "And your companion, too, of course."

Darque cocks his head, and sniffs, twice.

Gerard looks over from his reversed chair. "Ah! Molly McGlanworthcuddy. How's the gearwife life? Have a seat!"

Molly slides into a seat, uncorks the bottle in one of the traditional Minosan manners- with her teeth- and after pouring her mug makes a show of placing the bottle to the center of the table. "Oh, the gearwife life is fine as can be. Must be, as I haven't managed to blow myself or the husband up yet. Not nearly wet enough, though, I do have to say."

Gerard just blinks at Molly, seems to be about to say something, possibly of a rude color, when his companion clears his throat. "Oh! Darque, this is Molly Glanworth, formerly Bloody Cute Molly of Discordia's crew. Molly, this is Captain Darque of the Echo Rei."

Darque lifts up slightly, not quite standing, and bows his head. "Charmed," he rumbles.

A grin of victory blooms on Molly's lips as she bows her head to Darque, purely out of habit, one might assume. Though Gerard may well mistake that grin for one a bit more bawdy in nature. "Captain Darque, is it? How fortuitous! Why, I've just been out makin' the occasional inquiry as to your whereabouts."

Darque grunts and sits down. "I don't owe you money, do I?"

Molly 's head shakes as she answers, "No, sir. Never met you before in my life. But I'd heard rumours that you've just come in from out Minos way. Might be I have a few questions." She looks to Gerard and adds, "But I'm happy to hold my tongue if I'm intruding on some important drinking time."

Both men snort. Gerard offers, "Women enhance drinking time. Well, some women. Even the married ones." Darque screws up his face at that bit.

Molly chuckles and replies, "Thus my bringin' of the rum. I know how to pull my weight, sirs. Since I'm not in a position to be doin' much in the way of lap-sitting."

Darque hmms. "I suppose married women do take up more chairs. Never looked at it as a seating arrangement." His hand finds his cup.

Gerard offers, "Darque was married once. Didn't much care for it."

Molly suggests, "Not for everyone, no. Can be a bit like goin' for a walk in the rigging sometimes, marriage." She takes a sip from her mug. "So." She nudges the talk away from the dangerous shallows of marriage like a conversational tugboat, "Minos. Things are getting worse quickly now?"

Gerard watches Darque. 'Course the man in blind, so he doesn't know that, but Molly does.

Darque snorts again, swigs his drink. "Smells like the underside of an undine's arse. It's all the water going somewhere and not comin' back, see. We're getting marshes fed by rotting sealife that don't make it out in time. Like kelp, mostly, but some fish."

Molly 's nose wrinkles in sypathetic disgust. She mutters, "Never actually sniffed one of those, myself, an' ain't 'tall likely to ask the undine I know to let me, but I reckon I catch the idea. You got any idea how much we've lost? I mean, how big are these new rotmarshes?"

Darque shrugs. "All the islands are surrounded by them. I figure the deeps are the only refuge for the fish. And those damned crabs are all over the place. Damn things are like cockroach monkeys mated with lobster turtles."

Molly takes a swallow from her mug, a loud, audible swallow. She grumbles, "Sound just lovely. Just the sort of things I'd want home to get known for." She looks from Dargue to Gerard, her next question going to whoever cares to answer, "Anyone out there got any plans? What's the word from the Commodores?"

Darque growls, "They're sitting on their arses. Well...not exactly true. They're battening up THEIR sphere of influence, just taking care of their own symptoms, not lookin' at the problem."

Gerard says, "Julian had a brilliant idea using trumps, but that may not actually work."

Molly raises an eyebrow to Darque, not that he'd notice. "I'd've thought better of the Commodores. Guess the high'n mighty are the same all over." She blinks and tips her mug towards Gerard. "Er...present company excepted, 'course, sir." She gives a little nod and says, "The Lyonesse funneling idea? I think it's completely mad. Don't mean it won't worse 'course. Probably more likely a mad idea would be the trick, innit?"

Darque lets out a bark of a laugh and toasts the girl, then drinks deep.

Gerard simply snorts, "Hah. If these people are supposed to be reflections of my family as some seem to think, they're doing a piss poor job. I think they've just grown complacent."

Molly grunts into her rum. After swallowing a good bit more of it she thunks the mug down and grumbles, "I don't like it. Don't like bein' out here doing a bunch of bloated nothin' while my home drains away to Depths knows where."

Darque's's mood turns sour, and he barks out, "Won't do you no good being there, girlie. That's why I left! Nothing the morons in charge can do, we're turning into Alhambra as they make bargins with each other and build longer docks trying to reach the oceans, and the cooks try to figure out how to eat those damn crabs. Which you CAN'T, by the way. They smell worse than my exwife. Something's taking our water, and all we can do is go elsewhere and take someone else's water. WAY OF THE WORLD, girlie. WAY OF THE WORLD."

This time, it's Gerard's turn to clear his throat.

Molly leans back in her seat, as if trying to avoid the flow of Darque's considerable wrath. As he winds it up, she snaps back at him with, "I can't accept that. Minos's always floated with pride, and I can't see us scattered to the winds to become...What are you suggesting?" She continues on, not noticing Gerard's throat clearing, "Water piracy? How would we transport it anyways? Or you saying the best bet is to cut our moorings and leave Minos to rot?" She pauses to take an irate breath and finally notices Gerard again. "Er. Sorry, sirs."

Gerard suddenly looks thoughtful. "Water pirates. That has some merit..." His voice wanders off as he thinks.

Darque say, "Minos is already rotting! Let the Salt Wives figure out what to do with it. A ship can't sail with its hull mired in muck, missy."

Molly places her hands firmly on the table and leans forward towards Darque far enough that she rises from her seat. "No, but a crew gets out the ropes and shovels an' they dig and they HEAVE until their ship is free. What they don't do is just give up an' jump overboard to the sharks." She adds after a breath or two a rough, "Sir." She settles back down and looks at Gerard over her drink as she sucks it down.

Darque barks another one of those one-note laughs. "We ARE the sharks." He takes another swig as if that's somehow a final word on the matter.

Gerard seems too distracted to follow the outbreak. "Molly...the Optomist...how does it work? Can you and your husband reproduce the motors?"

Molly grumps wordlessly towards Darque and turns to just stare at Gerard for a moment. "The Optimist, Captain? she's steam-powered, but I haven't been allowed into her workings." She adds a small, almost unspoken, "Yet." She rolls her rum around its container for a moment before answering, "I imagine my husband could pull off most anything, but I don't see why. Minos has ships aplenty, and steam won't help with the muck."

Gerard's eyes twinkle. "No, but sails have a bitch of a time pulling iceburgs."

Darque slams his tankard down. One gets the impression that he'd be blinking at Gerard if those eyepatches weren't there. "You're mad," he states, simply.

Molly almost laughs, almost, but that eye twinkle might be infectious. "Aha! They do. That they do." She looks to Darque and nods, turning back to Gerard quickly. "You are mad, Cap'n. Quite mad. An' this is a mad, mad situation we're in." She whips a box the size of a large book out of her coat and starts pushing keys and flipping levers. "But to pull that off, we'd need a good idea of the rate of drainage and...probably a number of the special ships. Hmmmm." Ticky ticky ticky goes her fingers on the box.

Gerard says, "Push or pull, no matter to me. Minos herself will melt them."

Darque simply grunts.

Molly makes a note in a small book and slips both book and box back into her pockets. "That may work as a bit of a stopgap, but unless you plan to fund a fleet of iceships for the next few hundred years, someone's going to have to find a way to plug the actual leak."

Gerard says, "A really big rock down the whirlpool?"

Molly says, "Same sort of pulling ship an' a bloody great big platform might help with that, too." She takes another sip and turns to Darque. "Speaking of. Who was it was paddling their way out of the whirlpool? You were telling a tale when I arrived. They see anything out there?"

Darque....well, stares at Molly. The eyes are hidden, but the body language is there. "It's an expression. Like being up a creak without an oar. No one with any sense goes NEAR Krast's Lament."

Molly slumps in her seat. It's probably loud enough that Darque can actually hear it. She says lamely, "Well...I've known plenty of folk without any sense." She gives Gerard a look that might be a flounder for backup, or might be an apology for looking like a fool.

Gerard says "I have sense. I keep it in my codpieces for safe keeping, with my loose change and a compass."

That clearly wasn't exactly the sort of backup Molly had been looking for, as she slams down another swallow of rum. She doesn't seem ready to leave the whirpool alone, though. "Couldn't we fit up a ship near to scuttle-ready, a leaky old barge or sommat, load her with a boulder, set her course for the 'pool, and pray. A lot? Or...start sending all our used-up ships out there. Eventually have to plug the hole, we send enough down, right?"

Gerard shakes his head, as Darque seems to be settling down to some serious drinking. "No one knows what caused that thing. It's been there forever, and we never lost sea levels before. Besides Krastos, that is...it's said that's where the Lost Sea was. But it's been ages since that happened."

Molly nods, quiets and, herself, settles down into some serious drinking.

</div></div>

OOC: Tacky Velvet Trumps

2009-07-26T04:06:53Z

OOC: Rae's post http://rae-r2a.livejournal.com/23346.html?view=85042&style=mine#t85042 leads to a question about those dogs, which Malachi aanswers:

From afar, Malachi had a tokened war dog army. They had armor. Also, opposable thumbs, which helps with the armor. Also, according to the token, a tendency towards dirty jokes.

You paged Malachi with 'We need a trump of them playing poker.'.

Malachi pages: You supply the trump artist, I'll supply the dogs and playing cards.

YOU!

2009-07-22T18:07:41Z

Yes, you.

Entertain me!

Where's the Finndo's Tomb Expedition of Doom's Frolicing halftime entertainment?

OOC: The State of Play in Minos

2009-07-15T19:39:55Z

Just a heads up.

1) Once upon a time, Gerard Mark 1 was sole proco of Minos. Then Dinah and Cyrus were made co-procos. When I took over Gerard (as Mark II), Dinah and Cyrus still remain my co-propcos. While Iam leading charges over here on certain plots, they have OOC prop history on IC things that I was not privy to. They are valueable assets to anyone wanting to do things with Minos.

2) While the Black Road is affecting Minos, there is no attack as yet like there was on Pathi or Amber herself. At present, there's weird stuff going on...black crabs of a foul temperment and composition (and in small, medium, and WTF is that? sizes), sea levels diminishing, weird tentacle beasties, etc...but no outright attack. These are all things that can be played with if your adventures take you to Minos. However, if you have not heard, things are picking up speed in Weirmonken, and Emrys showed great awesomeness by checking with me as a propco to make sure he wasn't stepping on my toes in timing or content. As such, there's coordination going on so players who would overlap in play don't feel pulled one way or another.

3) What's going on in Minos is a long-haul adventure. Lucius is putting a TON of fabulous work into worldbuilding one of the Lost Seas, and once we hash things out, we will be running everything past staff; so if it sounds like there's been alot of talk about Minos but no actual play, it's because it's being worked on extensively, so that there's a structured yet flexible adventure playland for players to kick around. What we're trying to do is allow for an Elder Scrolls type situation...lots of variety in small adventures and exploration, while meanwhile the overall main quest starts to form and solidify for the end game win. The trick is doing it in such a way that allows plenty of room for play, but not to wear out our welcome and stretch it too far. (It should also be stressed that I'm a big believer in character moments, roleplay over roll play, machiavellian twists, and culture/politics affecting play. This will not be a straight military engagement.)

New Look for Minos

2009-07-12T17:56:03Z

The rumors that the Minos Writing Team are redesigning Minos so that the Black Road is making the whole shadow be a ripoff of Robert Ulrich's masterpiece The Ice Pirates are false.

Honest.

Last Call for Minos Storytellers

2009-07-07T19:31:59Z

(See http://gerard-of-amber.livejournal.com/4037.html )

If you're interestd in running scenes, I have ammunition for you to play with. If you have shown interest in the past and have goten starter packs, please check your +mail and respond to the mail sent days ago.*

(The exception being the player who's been talking to me the past 2 weeks about all sorts of ideas)

*If you've changed your mind, please let me know so I'm no longer waiting on feedback from you. Likewise, if something's holding you up...RL happens!

Unicorn Grant Me Strength

2009-06-27T03:42:37Z

Lucius comes calling upon Prince Gerard, quite formally.

Gerard is a bit scruffy looking, and there's two dingy grey sacks in the corner. "Ah, I didn't miss the time. Good. Hard to keep appointments whipping back and forth."

Lucius bows stiffly, "Your Royal Highness." When he rises from it, he continues, "I have great appreciation for Your finding time for my appointment - particularly considering, as I stated in my letter, it was regarding a personal matter."

Gerard says, "I have a weakness for Karm."

Lucius smiles, "Ah, yes. I have had the privelege of acquaintance with Your Royal Highness' sons of Karm." He settles a bit, and considers, "Stories abound of the fortitude and puissance of His Royal Highness, Prince Gerard of Amber. Tales concerning nearly every land of note are associated with such. Your Royal Highness' legendary physical feats are as ubiquitous as they are impressive."

Gerard arches a brow as he halts his move to the wardrobe. "Is your non-Karm half Lyonesse, by any chance?"

Lucius blinks, as his stream of thought is interrupted. He dips his head again - perhaps surprised Gerard knows /anything/ about him. "Yes, Your Royal Highness, Lady Angelica Disapra of Cuchlia is my mother, of the County of Cuchlia - in Lyonesse Above."

Gerard turns back to getting fresh clothes. "Ah. Maybe we should hook you up with Benedict's other ward."

Lucius raises a brow, "Does Your Royal Highness refer to the Lady Wildemere?"

Gerard says, "I don't know her title."

Lucius pauses, reluctant to use anything but, "The Lady Miranda of Wildemere?"

Gerard says, "That sounds right."

Lucius nods, "I have the pleasure of the Lady's acquaintance, also. Just this past week, I happened to visit with her at Rose House."

Gerard says, "And you were able to unentwine in such a short time? What can I do for you, Lord Karm?"

Lucius smiles, and seems relieved to get off of the topic of Miranda. "I, myself, am a man of action - though nowhere near the prowess or status of Your Royal Highness. However, I have found that I have peaked in my physical conditioning. Meanwhile, the varied enemies of Amber and the Crown march forwards in villainy. Asking myself whom might be able to show me a way to greater understanding of physical skill, I invariably came to the answer of Your Royal Highness." He pauses. "I am reluctant to request such a thing. And I would not, if I did not feel that my own failings were so unacceptable in my role as His Majesty's Knight."

Gerard considers Lucius a moment. "Are you capable of speaking plainly and not in courtly speech? Specifically TO me."

Lucius nods, his expression one of embarassment. "I am, Your Royal Highness. I have a desire to learn from Your Royal Highness. To better my physical skill."

Gerard nods, once. "Then we have something to work with. I'm not sure Miranda is capable of it."

Lucius blushes slightly. "The Lady Miranda is quite skilled at courteous conversation. It is my pleasure to speak with her on occasion."

Gerard says, "Do you ever try to one-up one another?"

Lucius looks to the floor, and blushes a bit more. "Erm. Er. No. I don't believe so, Your Royal Highness. Such crudity is beyond a lady as noble as the Lady Wildemere."

Gerard peers at Lucius. "So you DON'T try to outflower each other's speech?"

Lucius shakes his head slowly, "No, Your Royal Highness. I don't believe so. Certainly, if we were to, the Lady Wildemere's refinement and good nature would overcome my own."

Gerard says, "Doubtless she would say the same. Alright. We can work on what you wish."

Lucius explodes in quiet and unseen joy. His body vibrates in the most subtle of energies. And a bow follows. "My deepest thanks, Your Royal Highness."

Gerard says, "And you vibrate like Taleyn. Perhaps you should take care around Ben's household."

Checking on Minos: Day One

2009-06-25T17:41:58Z

What is it with the tentacles around here?

We haven't hit land yet, so I haven't seen any of these damnable crabs yet, but I'll try to catch one later this evening. Likewise, can't tell if the water's low here or not, as there's no land to judge it against. Water's too dark, though, it looks like the sea before a storm, but there's no clouds in the sky.

But this is the third time we've seen black and purple tentacles sticking up out of the water, waving about slowly as if the owner had been out partying way too long and was facinated by the undulating motion.

Not that I have personal experience with that.

Be Forewarned

2009-06-02T00:59:31Z

Anyone who submits a Pirates of Darkwater plot to me as a Black Road in Minos idea will be locked in a hold with 7 Zark 7 and the original Ninja Team Gotchaman.

And Zoltar will be your hairdresser.

COMING SOON: The Minos Mandates

2009-06-01T00:50:20Z

As some of you may have guessed from the gossips, something is brewing in Minos.

In a few weeks, after Hypericon, there will be a call for mystery and high adventure in these oceans. It will involve lost cities, lost cultures, monsters of teeth and tentacles as well as as human, and, of course, Black Road.

But meanwhile, a call is going out for those on the game who are interested in running scenes. The framework has been written, the background setting approved. What I'm looking for is tapping some of you creative, scene running folks to work with to flesh out (and run) adventures in these lost cities...a collaboration effort to give the players some kick ass rp and story.

The idea here is to do what the best TV shows...especially genre shows...do with a staff of writers. There's a show bible, a head writer, and a staff writing the season. We have the bible, the propcos are the head of the table...but I want this to be a gestalt production, and for that, we need the awesome scene runners who have stepped up to the plate in the past.

Interested parties, contact me. Note that Dinah & Cyrus are still co-propcos.

OCC: The Mush as Seen Through The Flashback Cafe

2009-05-10T17:51:01Z

Minos: The Commodores

Pathi: Earth Wind & Fire

Begma: Led Zepplin

Cibola: Bob Marley & the Wailers (with honorable mention for Minos as The Whalers)

Rebma: Bobby Darin

Tir Na Nog: Clannad

Lyonesse: Gloria Gaynor

Weirmonken: Warren Zevon

Tanus: CCR

Kitzeh: Spinal Tap

The Black Road: Alice Cooper

Amber: Theme from the Brady Bunch

Engineering Shadows

2009-05-05T00:35:44Z

To the image of Julian, Gerard says, "Brother."

The image of Julian is in his office. "Same to you."

To the image of Julian, Gerard says, "We seem to be lacking some water in Minos. Sort of an anti-Lyonesse thing going on. Hopefully it won't get that extreme, but the waterline seems to be going down a bit each tide."

The image of Julian grunts. "Solution occurs to me but you'll want to talk to Brand about it. Find a safe way of building a trump or other gate below Lyonesse's waterline and above Minos's waterline. Lyonesse's water can then drain into Minos's. We reclaim Lyonesse over time that way and restore Minos."

The image of Julian says, "And yes I want credit for this idea but I'll share."

To the image of Julian, Gerard says, "You sure you're not Pathi? That's ingenious. Course, Brand will say it'll destroy the universe."

Overheard offshore in Tanus, Not So long Ago

2009-04-05T19:25:35Z

"We're almost to to port Captain."

"Thank you, sailor."

"Captain...what's this place like?"

"That's classified, sailor. It's got trees and bloody big rivers, that's all you need to know."

"But it's a huge port for commerce and trade!"

"Not for us."

"But...sir, I hear one of the royal family wrestled a river and won. How do you wrestle a river?"

"That's classified, sailor."

"So, you don't know either, Captain?"

"Just ready the hold. We won't be here long."

"Yes, sir. No shore leave, Captain?"

"We're just here to pick up cargo, sailor. Carry on."

"Yes, sir."