The current series of messages is designed to get us through the midwinter in Amber.
I still need the answer from Vere and Lucas about the tradeoff between size and repair time for the trading vessel. However, the truth of the matter is that no trade you can get this quickly will seriously affect the food supply in Amber. There are simply too many people. You cannot find enough abandoned truckloads of Happy Meals to feed them all.
Everyone eats a lot of fish and grows the Amber equivalent of winter victory gardens. The old, the ill, and the very young among the poor fare badly. The wealthy and middle class do just fine -- their hardships are theoretical and financial, not starve-in-the-street hardships.
A lot of planning is done in the winter, because there are things you can't rebuild in the snow. Like starting foundations for monuments and such. Engineers are mostly still busy with things like aqueduct repair and sewage/drainage anyway.
More questions and comments in subsequent messages. Some of you are also due private replies, which you should get as well.
Paige isn't trying to take away from the current judiciary, but to supplement it. Think of her as an appeals court.
The judges are grumpy and resentful -- like they need an appeals court! -- but there is not much they can do when you present the signed patent.
Expected. All she can try to do is charm them with her smile and sense of decorum, and dazzle them with her knowledge of some of their significant cases.
9 out of 10, she'll base off precedents, if available. If not, she'll lean toward common sense and neccessity.
As a final court of appeal (basically acting in the place of the Regent) Paige finds she needs to act as a court of equity as often as not. Almost all of the cases she gets are property law; many have political implications.
Once she sees this track, she'll lean her learning to toward the property
issues. Not that the others will get neglected, but relegated to the second
rank of books marching across the desk in her chambers. I'm sure Nestor's
going to have issues with her reading them in the tub, but if it comes up,
well... she'll have to show him the benefits...
Perhaps someone from the castle who's schooled in the current political situation, an assisstant chamberlain, or something to keep an eye on the dockets and keep family from ruling for family.
Such a person is detailed to Paige.
[Duly named Lorring and cast as Daniel Day Lewis...]
Sic scribit Blake Moorcroft: Jerod would also recommend that any staff that Paige uses for her activities be those who are either near to retirement or have very solid political connections - all should be volunteers.
Does Paige follow Jerod's advice?
Yes, most definitely. He'll become her key to untangling the politics of situations in many instances, if he's keen on the Court. She'll also keep him apprised of any rumor floating through her circles also...
He'll be interested in anything that she has to offer.
As Paige researches her legal precedents, Cambina assists her. It turns out that Cambina is something of a legal and political scholar who wrote a history of Oberon's reign, and she knows quite a bit about Amber's legal history. She also tends to find precedents which favor what she considers to be the merits of the case.
Paige will be very thankful for the the assisstance. She knows she's a bit out of her element, but she is good dealing with small numbers of people, and can read them rather well, so it seemed here or as an Ambassador...
Paige will also talk to her about things of a divinatory nature. "Jerod mentions that you do freaky things with the Cards Have you had any luck since the Sundering?"
If anyone gives him such a letter Vere will of course not bother Gerard with it, though he might read it aloud to his cousins at dinner that night purely for its amusement value.
Of course, some foreign merchant actually does it. Vere thinks it's less lack of perception than some sort of passive-aggressive behavior. Possibly it's required in the merchant's home culture (which is not GC).
Vere is sending two of the smaller naval vessels that are in the best shape out on reconnaissance, to verify 1) that they can't actually follow the normal Shadow paths and 2) that there's no sign of anyone else out there.
Both of these items are verified.
Any other information they can discover will be useful, of course. They should also sail over the area of Rebma during the night and see if there's any signs of light from the city beneath the sea.
There are none, but Jerod can tell Vere that's to be expected.
The naval people take a lot of crap from Vere for Admiral Gerard's sake. Unfortunately, although the senior officers who are left are all Gerard's men, they are also all past their prime and not the best officers.
Gerard wants daily reports on the state of the fleet. He is pleased that Vere has added Worth to his staff. He has opinions, and lots of them, on every aspect of the harbor, the refitting of the fleet, and the officers and many of the men Vere is working with from the Navy.
Vere will listen intently, and implement the cast majority of Gerard's suggestions. In any case where Vere disagrees seriously with Gerard he will not say anything to Gerard, but will re-examine his opinions carefully. If, after carefully weighing all the facts, he still disagrees with Gerard he will follow his own opinion, without mentioning it to Gerard. (Obviously, if this involves something really serious Vere will discuss it with his cousins first. But he's not going to have Gerard injuring himself in a useless argument.)
Gerard's doctors think he is ignoring their advice and overworking himself.
Vere will ask them to give him a full written report of exactly why they think Gerard is pushing himself too hard and what the consequences could be. The next time he visits Gerard he will wait till Gerard is pouring over reports on the fleet, then pull out the medical report and examine it with a concerned expression. He'll wait until Gerard asks him what it is, then he'll look up and say, "One of our people was badly injured in the Sundering, but is refusing to take proper care of himself. I am extremely concerned about how to deal with the situation. He apparently has a great deal of difficulty in following orders, and is putting the needs of the short-term emergency ahead of the long-term goal of recovering and being able to resume his duties. I fear that he is liable to become a burden on us if this continues."
Gerard gives his son a patient, long-suffering look, and says, "The patient is not putting short-term needs ahead of long-term ones. The patient is doing what needs to be done so that when his brothers come home, there's an Amber to come home to. If the damned doctors bother me about this any more, I swear I'll get out of this bed and lock them out if I have to."
Vere thinks his father knows his threat is wishful thinking.
Vere cocks his head to one side for a moment, then says, "Locking the door is an idea, of course. We could simply declare by fiat that you are no longer to be given any but the most important information. I would prefer not to take it to that point. If necessary, I will." His expression is completely blank. "Unless you can give me strong evidence that Amber's very existence depends upon your pushing yourself too hard, I will not allow it to occur. If I believe that your health is endangered I will resign my position with the fleet and spend my every waking minute overseeing your recovery. Believe me, Father, I will do this."
After a slight pause, he continues. "There is no reason that I could not read reports to you and take down your instructions while you are engaged in physical therapy. It seems a reasonable savings of time to combine the two."
[Jerod]
Do Vere and/or Solange bring this [Gerard's overworking himself] up to
the rest of the family, or does it stay quiet? (since it would appear
based on the messages that the doctors are telling only them of their
concerns).
Solange doesn't bring it up to anyone besides Vere. Maybe to Vialle.
Vere is waiting to see if his father will be reasonable or not. If not, then he will bring it to the attention of the entire Council.
On the beautification project: Ossian will present sketches of new designs for some of the most damaged areas. His architecture is simple and beautiful and delicate rather than heavy. A few of the designs are probably very hard to build.
The civil engineers veto the unbuildable ones.
When it proves that Ossian has some architectural talent (e.g., by his monument design), Cambina drafts him into working with her and the civil engineers. By the time the Regency is over, Ossian will have completed a short apprenticeship in civil engineering.
Great! Ossian will enjoy this.
On the monument design: Ossian thinks of rebuilding one of the most damaged areas of the city into a memorial park. This is the first draft: The entrance is located in the lower end (the city is on the slopes of Kolvir, isn't it?) Most of the park is filled with trees from Arden, forming almost a wood. Here and there hanged in the trees are small bells and aeolian harps. The harmonies are going from minor at the entrance to major in the upper end. In the upper end is a small open space with a high (visible from much of the city), slightly conical stone pillar. On the sides of the pillar are statues of climbing children, struggling to reach higher up. THh childre near the base have a look of despair in their faces, while the ones near the top look happy and triumphant. Near the top of the pillar wings start to sprout from the childrens shoulders, and at the top of the pillar three children spread their fully grown wings throwing themselves happily into the sky. Every statue has a individual look.
Ossian will not give any promises, but always turn the situation into a lose-lose situation for the complainer, where a change of the ruling will do more damage to the complainer than keeping the ruling will.
People quit approaching him after a while. Word gets around, apparently.
Vialle approaches Ossian to do portraits of the various family members, including Gerard.
This is a thing he will gladly do. "Do you want me to make them...eh...trump paintings?"
Vialle looks a little surprised. "Can you do that?"
[BTW Even if the trumps don't work, is it possible to _paint_ trumps that will work eventually?]
[OOC: as a practical matter, no. Trump artists suspect that now, but cannot confirm it.]
"Normally, yes. But I don't think that I can make trumps as long as they don't work."
"For what do you want the portraits?"
"To hang in the library and the new rooms we're opening up. Cambina mentioned how bare some of them are. For myself, I like sculpture, of course, but everyone else seems to like paintings. Someone said you were an artist, and I just thought if you could paint some portraits, it would be nice. "
"You know I could make a sculpture or two for you, if you want that. Do you have someone special on your mind."
Paige is interested in this question too, but will put off working on her own renditions until she's more comfortable with the court and the Court.
Ossian will want everyone to stand model. He doesn't need much time with any of you, but a little would help.
Paige will gladly sit, in green and gold, and evening gown of the current style, her hair up... [more if neccessary...]
[Ossian]
"It's a delight to work when you only need the painting to look like
reality to be good."
[Paige]
"I haven't tried my hand at anything other than 'looking like reality'
since they stopped working." She's obviously speaking of the Trumps.
"Oh, the trumps...yes it's a pity they don't work." Ossian blushes slightly "Would've made things a lot easier for us, I think."
When she moves to take a break later, she comments, "Your lines remind me more of Dworkin's than Maestro's, but here... there... Yes, if you hadn't said it yourself, this shouts it."
"It does? I guess it takes someone else to see it. I've never met Dworkin, Brand said he had disappeared.
"You seem like a connoisseur. Do you also paint trumps?"
"I've dabbled a bit. I've never met Dworkin either, but I have some of his Trumps, from father's deck." Paige is obviously hedging here to a suitable water...
"You have? Could I have a look at them?" Ossian is visibly excited.
"Sorry, didn't mean to say have. I had some, but Father took them when he left for the battle." Paige looks kind of worried momentarily, but turns back to Ossian. "Perhaps Nestor has some in the Library. That's where," hesitation, "my teacher said they were kept. Some sort of cabinet, I believe."
Ossian raises an eyebrow, listening intently.
Paige smiles at Ossian and takes his hand wrapping it in her arm, "Come let's make an adventure of it, that or I seem to remember Solange having one of the family sets, perhaps we can peruse hers."
Ossian grins: "I'm on. Let's explore the library!"
On their way there [OOC: I've always imagined the library is "upstairs"] Ossian asks: "Why did your dad take your cards?"
Paige chuckles, "No, I'm sorry, I was a bit confusing there. Father didn't take my cards, just the ones of his that I had Actually, they were once Uncle Corwin's, have you heard that story?"
"Wait a second; you had cards that originally belonged to Corwin, but then became Bley's, who gave them to you and then took them back? I haven't heard that one, for sure."
"I hope you will tell me the story, now that my curiosity is ignited."
"I can show you mine later, if you like. They're in my chambers." She opens the door to the library...
"I'd very much like to see them."
"Nestor, dear? You home?" she calls.
Nestor emerges from his office. "Ah, Lady Paige, Lord Ossian. How may I assist you?"
"Ossian was interested in looking at some examples of Dworkin's Art. I remember my father mentioning that several sets of his Trumps were stored here, might we have a chance to look on them?" Paige smiles at Nestor, in her best innocent smile _We won't hurt anything, Mr. Librarian_
"I'm sorry," Nestor replies, "but Prince Gerard has removed all the card decks from the library. You'd have to ask him about that."
"Well, is there any other art by Dworkin's hand about the Castle? You must fill a curator's role as well as Librbarian, no? You always seem to have such intimate knowledge of the Castle." Paige smiles.
No matter the answer, unless Nestor really tries to get them engaged in a conversation, Paige will suggest to Ossian, "I suppose we could peruse them later. We're close enough that my rooms are not that far off. Would you like to look at my Trumps? I've not the hand of my teacher, but..."
Paige gives Nestor a small wink before turning back to Ossian, in her best flirtatious voice, "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours." A small chuckle warms the library.
Ossian smiles, and cocks his head slightly to one side "Sure. I've got mine in my pocket. And I'm sure your trumps are nice enough..."
"Oooh, art! Cool!" Folly is happy to sit for a portrait. If Ossian is aiming for a consistent style among all the portraits, Folly will do what is necessary (such as wearing Amber-appropriate clothing) to support his artistic vision, but she clearly thinks an unconventional pose or an avant-garde style would be more fun.
For the library Ossian will keep a formal style on the portraits, but he suggests he should paint Folly hanging upside down by her knees from a treelimb for one of the other rooms.
For reasons which he will not explain, Jerod declines to stand to be modelled. He also does not want a portrait done of him. Doing it surreptiously is always possible, but people get the feeling that putting out such a portrait without his permission would be a really bad idea.
What about statues?
Nope...no portraits, no images, no personal likenesses...:)
[Folly]
So, um, does Jerod also have a propensity for wearing dark,
unadorned clothing? ;)
Only on special occasions...with women he really likes...:)
Later, Ossian presents Lucas with a painting, which consist of one hue of grey paint over the whole canvas. Ossian calls it "Jerod in Fog."
"I think I have captured his features very well, what's your opinion?"
[Lucas]
"It at least captures his charms."
Vialle asks Jerod why he doesn't want to sit for Ossian.
Jerod would shrug when asked. "I've never really had a use for them. They either collect dust or get people pissed with you because you hung it somewhere important." he says. "Besides, I'm not sure I want to deal with the repercussions of having my portrait up somewhere, painted by someone who knew Brand, when my uncles and aunts come back." There is a tone in his voice which says he still believes this is going to happen.
"When my husband and his brothers come home, if they find a young man who has been accepted by the rest of the family, they'll accept him more readily. If everyone treats Ossian with suspicion, they'll see that too. So will Ossian," Vialle says softly.
Martin also declines, to the surprise of absolutely no one. Kenner reports to Jerod that Vialle attempted to prevail on Martin to pose, and that they quarrelled over the matter. "I understand he asked her whether she was deaf as well as blind," he tsks. "And she replied that he had been such a sweet boy, and what a shame it was that he'd become this way as an adult."
Jerod nods when he hears this, and does not appear to like it, though more from a "worried" perspective than anything else.
Do Solange and Vere agree to sit?
Solange does. She wears olive green and gold (I assume Paige is wearing a more emerald green, what with the red hair, right?), probably whatever dress she intends to wear to Aunt Felicity's ball, with her hair parted in the center and wound into a simple knot in the back.
Vere put his head to one side and thinks about if for several moments; one can almost hear the gears whirling away. Then he looks at Ossian and nods decisively. "I would be pleased and honoured," he says.
When he poses he wears a blue tunic under a shirt of gray mail, with his long hair braided in elaborate Celtic knots. He brings a broadsword and a harp, and he poses with his right hand, in a black gauntlet, resting upon the pommel of the broadsword, its naked tip upon the ground. His bare left hand gently touch the strings of the harp. He looks straight ahead, with no expression.
Cambina initially seems ready to refuse, and reserves her judgement until the first painting is done. (By GM fiat, this is not "Jerod in Fog".) Cambina judges it satisfactory and agrees to sit.
[Ossian]
You don't honestly think I would show _that_ to her, do you?
Ossian will after a few weeks hang "Jerod in Fog" in some
gods-forgotten corner of the castle, with a little brass sign with the
title on. The painting is not signed.
Despite Ossian's best efforts to hide his creation, Jerod would eventually find it...:)...there's an advantage to living your life in Amber - you know everyone, and he'd figure out who painted it (its not like there's a huge number of artists in the group to begin with).
Of course Jerod will find it, but not before several other people have seen it, its half hidden placement being a part of the art.
Which leads to the question of "retribution"...
Except...there isn't any...he just laughs and insists Ossian hang it somewhere more open....and Ossian really should sign his work.
Ossian eyes Jerod suspiciously for half a second then agrees, signs it and rehangs it somewhere in the library. (although not among the "portraits")
Actually, Jerod would insist he put it with the other family portraits. If Ossian is going to put his name on it (which he has now), Jerod will want him to get all the public credit that is due to him. And when anyone asks Jerod about it, he'll inform them quite amusedly that he considers it one of Ossian's best efforts. Of course, given that its just gray on canvas, he's sure there will numerous interpretations of "best efforts". How many of them are complimentary of Ossian and his skill...will be another matter entirely...:)
(What's that phrase - I may not know art, but I know what I like)
In any event, Jerod doesn't seem to consider it to be of anything other than an amusement.
Ossian just smiles, and hangs the picture among the family pictures. It is not like there are no other pictures there showing Ossians skills.
Gerard arranges to have Ossian brought in for a meeting. Gerard is firm, but obviously kind. While it's hard to tell what he thinks, the thrust of the questioning suggests to Ossian that Gerard perceives him as a potential victim of Brand's rather than an ally.
Ossian will answer Gerard questions earnestly. [Remember that Ossian has slightly twisted ethics]
An addition: "Uncle, have you any theories of who could be my parents?
"Honestly," says Gerard, "I have no idea. Could be any of us, I suppose. None of us were that careful of our relations with women. Who do you think your father might be?"
"Well, I don't know. Brand is an obvious choice, but I don't have red hair. Why do you think it is a father?"
Ossian will after his meeting with Gerard go up in the library and carefully study the paintings up there for several hours.
For community/labor support, she seeks out contacts among the working class who will help her spread the idea of sharing talents and resources for the good of the community. The spin she will give to the ideas for this audience is all about self-sustenance and keeping "outside" interference to a minimum.
This works very well among the sailor/docksider group. It also makes both the nobles and the merchants very nervous, which Vere hears about, then Jerod.
Vere will listen to their concerns with patience, and try to narrow them down to a common thread. What are they really concerned about, a possible long term change in the social structure?
[Folly]
She will pay particular
attention to the attitudes of the teenagers and young adults in the
community and try to appeal to them, since in her experience that age
group is most enthusiastic about social change. She will try to come
across as "one of them" -- in particular, someone who listens to,
understands, and sympathizes with their problems and will help them
find solutions.
As discussed, this will mostly be the apprentices. Another hornets' nest that Jerod hears about.
[Folly]
Her tactics
will include finding a couple of adorable homeless kids....
This is a good tactic. Folly is able to get some initial interest up and running, but has difficulties after the first month or so due to nervousness about her work with the apprentices and the harbor district.
Assuming this memorial is designed and accepted for construction, Jerod will "politely" put the screws to the various noble houses and merchant groups to raise some funds for this endeavour, with said funds NOT being counted towards anyone's contributions towards general restoration of the city, etc.
During a court session that Martin and Folly both attend, Martin gets Folly to watch Jerod at work on this project. "We need to find you a female bad cop. I suggest Solange."
Folly asks Solange to help out in this capacity from time to time.
Solange agrees, and gets better at playing "bad cop" with more subtlety and a straight face.
If Jerod is agreeable, Martin arranges for Venesch to give Folly lessons in swordsmanship. He tries to show up for training as often as possible, but since he is out in Garnath and Arden on a regular basis, he can't devote the attention to Folly's training that he'd like.
Folly enjoys the lessons. She is not exactly a natural -- she sometimes gets a little too caught up in the rhythm of what she's doing -- but she compensates by being pretty good at reading her opponents.
Jerod would agree completely with Venesch as an instructor...he knows from experience that Venesch is not only highly skilled "technically", but he has the capacity of being a good teacher...
For those occasions where Venesch cannot be available, Jerod is willing to assist with her training. It will also give him a chance to discuss various bits of the Court and political situation and (if she wants to know), to instruct her on the behaviour of the people in Court and the workings of the political and social system. Assuming her Water skill is high enough, Folly would realize that Jerod thinks she has good ideas, but is pretty sure she doesn't understand the intricacies of Court and politics in Amber and that learning about it can only help her. And besides that, if she learns a bit, she'll make fewer mistakes and that means less work for him...:)
Folly welcomes any information and advice Jerod wants to give her.
Folly will find that Jerod does not offer advice immediately. Despite having an opinion on everything (it would seem), he has a consistent pattern that he will only offer that advice after someone has suggested an idea, and only when he considers the advice relevant. There will be several times when Folly is doing something that Jerod will say nothing at all...:)
[Folly]
But will his thought-bubble be audible? ("Oh, lord, what the f*** is
she doing?")
Those with high water would be able to read things such as he is curious, or if she is doing something potentially hazardous he would be concerned. She would read that he actually has a fairly long fuse where his temper is concerned - she's pretty sure that it takes a fair bit to get him really angry...this would be evidenced by some of the things she would see in Court that he deals with. He seems almost to be another person there...as if everything that happens just slides off of him, like water on a duck, without seeming to touch the real Jerod inside.
It also is a bit clearer though that it is harder to read the real Jerod...sometimes its not clear which is which...:)
So she could probably read various expressions on him...but unless she screwed up really badly...and I mean so badly that either someone else was going to get hurt, or she was going to get hurt (and more than just a scrape too), then she'd probably not see anything really outrageous...certainly maybe some amusement perhaps.
Oh, and one more thing...she would tend to read that he is a bit proud when someone either takes his advice, or learns something well that he is teaching...it seems to please him a lot, though he does try very hard to suppress it (this requires a good chunk of Water to detect).
Vialle offers to teach Folly court deportment. Not being from Amber herself, and given the status she had in the court before the Regency, she has a unique insight into such things.
Folly agrees that this is a good idea. She is eager for all the information she can get about her new home and how things are done here. In addition, she is very curious about Vialle and wants to get to know her better.
To the extent that Lucas is available, she asks him to help her teach Folly manners and fashion.
Folly is invited to play for Gerard a couple of times a week. He enjoys it quite a bit.
Vere would like to sit in on several of these sessions. He will ask, somewhat diffidently, if Folly would mind if he brings a harp occasionally and joins her.
Folly's main concern on these visits is for Gerard's well-being. She will be happy to let Vere join her on harp, but if she senses that the resulting music is less effective in soothing or cheering up Gerard -- maybe Gerard is the sort of dad who concentrates way too hard on his child's mastery instead of on the music? -- then she will pleasantly suggest to Vere that they play together in some other context, making her concerns for his father's health clear. If Vere's presence has an obvious positive effect on Gerard, on the other hand, Folly will invite Vere to join her whenever he can.
When Vere plays he is clearly playing to compliment Folly; her playing remains the main thread of the music. He's a very improvisational player, beginning by playing along with the melody, then moving into complex harmonies and improvisational riffs, but always subordinated to her playing. Vere's music is emotionally powerful, and serves to accentuate the mood of whatever Folly is playing, in a way that she's probably never heard before. He is clearly a masterful musician, and while he's playing his face relaxes more than she's seen at any time since she's met him.
Gerard enjoys the music quite a bit, and Folly's playing does seem to make him less irritable. Both Folly and Vere suspect it eases his pain.
Folly will also propose setting aside a couple of hours each week for a family jam session, since so many of her cousins are musically inclined (and since Folly thinks they all probably need a little recreation and relaxation.) Participation is optional but encouraged.
Vere will be happy to join in. He has had training on a wide variety of instruments, but his favourites are the harp and bagpipes. "Instruments for differing moods," he observes without any obvious sign of humour.
If there's a piano in the castle Vere desperately wants to try one. Gerard mentioned the existence of such an instrument to him once, and described it as "basically an 88-string harp laying on its side."
Solange does not play anything YET, but she has a pretty alto and can carry a harmony line, and with any encouragement at all will try to learn to play bass.
Ossian joins as often as possible. He is a good musician, with a taste for simplicity, and eerie harmonies. You note that he often takes pauses to not clog the music with too many voices. As for choice of instruments he sings, plays the lute and sometimes a small flute with piercing tone. His tenor voice is coloured by a minute amounts of hoarseness.
Paige will be happy to join, though she's nowhere near the caliber of some of her cousins, she did serve as an apprentice to the Court Minstrel for several years. She plays a variety of intruments and will choose the most appropriate to that evening's gig. Choose from flute, piano (which she's glad to show Vere), to lute, to acoustic guitar (her current love), and even a little singing. And on that night that she gets Solange singing scat, it's a silver cornet, N'Orleans style... But again, she's a dabbler, passable in many forms, but never the equal of a studied student really...
He'll seek out the most sympathetic and tenderhearted and fill their minds with images of tumbled buildings, men and women crushed and children left orphaned. Men, women and children starving because for some reason ships are no longer coming to Amber.
While the country folk have no sympathy for most of the city folk, the little orphans ploy has some success. One of the country notables suggests a fosterage program for orphaned city children. (This would basically be an apprenticeship-type indenture, and would serve to get people out of the city)
Lucas will pursue that lead and arrange for transportation. He will ask the country notable for assistance with this project, perhaps helping to contact other communities for places for the orphans to stay while waiting for someone to foster them. He'll also arrange for transportation of the orphans.
On the topic of getting people out of the city: If he thinks he could get away with it, he'll sound out the possibilities of a mail order bride program for young widows as well on both ends of the equation. Hell, why stop at brides? He'll sound out mail order grooms as well. Basically if people in the city are willing to take on a rural lifestyle, and there's someone interested in a domestic partner in exchange for helping them get started, Lucas will see what the feasibility of this is. If people seem interested, he'll work on getting that started, perhaps finding some people to work as intermediaries on the project.
He'll also seek out the more influential people, the sensible and more "citified" of the people there, those who are not necessarily greedy but would certainly enjoy getting a bit ahead, and convince them of the importance to help out in this time of need. Those who are willing to help out will find themselves well favored during the restructure.
Lucas is able to obtain influence in this way. Of course, he also makes some un-friends, but that's the price of doing business.
He'll also adapt his attire to more local fashions. He'll go for that more "rural gentleman" look rather than "dandified fop" that he often maintains in Amber.
This helps him a lot.
When Lucas is in the city, Vialle asks him to help her teach Folly manners and fashion (assuming Folly agrees to lessons, of course).
I'm assuming Lucas will agree. So far all the names are a bit of a blur, so if Karen could give me a description of her character for my creaky old mind, I'll have a better feel for the trouble Lucas is getting himself into.
Also, depending on what Folly's work load is like, he may just abduct her on one of his trading routes and give her some training in manners and fashion there. I have this lovely image of Lucas training his entire crew on the task.
"Okay, men, in a royal banquet in Amber, which utensils will you use in the first course?"
Folly cheerfully agrees to lessons. Whether she'll apply the lessons on a regular basis remains to be seen, but she at least wants the knowledge....
As for what Lucas is up against: On the one hand, Folly is very sensitive to others' moods, and can usually, when she chooses, behave in a way that they will find acceptable, if not downright charming. She also, in general, really likes people unless she has a good reason not to. On the other hand, she has spent the last decade in her own little hippie-rock-chick rebellion against her parents' bourgeois lifestyle. She is a purple-haired, leather-pants-wearing, dance-around-the-throne- room-barefoot kind of girl. Oh, and she hates convention.
Lucas hates convention as well, but instead of flying blindly in the face of it, he chooses to tweak it and break it strategically. A sabateur rather than an anarchist if you will.
He does bear a certain fondness for the less "modern", though, choosing instead cultures that are a bit ancient by Folly's standards. Lucas lost interest in his mother's shadow as the Victorian era came to a close, and as technology progressed he frequented it less and less, mostly only by necessity since there are some things that you simply get easily in other cultures. But all in all: Ick. Lucas' idea of bohemian is more likely to attend the Moulin Rouge rather than the Haight-Ashbury district. =)
In short, Lucas' training will be a little bitchy.
She probably will indulge in a certain amount of waving-the-bloody- shirt, since her foster-brother died while serving in the Rangers, and with luck this will serve to build rapport.
While the rangers listen to you more than they otherwise might because of Matthew and your own experience living in Garnath, both of those factors only buy you so much. The rangers, as you knew from Matthew, were very clannish and extremely personally loyal to Julian. The ones that are left are no different in that respect.
As for integrating the city men with the rangers, Solange is mainly going to need to encourage the rangers to act as mentors to the city men instead of thwarting them.
The rangers are a united front against the city slickers.
It may be necessary to remind them that their comrades-in-arms may not come back, and in that case they'll HAVE to get their new recruits from the city, and wouldn't it be good to have at least a few of them trained and competent already?
What Solange finds is that the number of rangers actually seems to grow on its own a little without any action on her part. It takes her a few weeks to realize that rangers who have retired are coming back to active service. Maimed rangers take over the HQ positions; any who can take patrols.
If there's any money changing hands, you're not sure where it's coming from. If Julian had a stipend as Lord of Arden, the rangers have his account, you suppose. Or perhaps it's his personal funds. Or perhaps they're not getting paid.
Follow the money. While Solange is very, very grateful that we're getting Rangers out of retirement, it would suck big time to find out that they're doing this not out of the goodness of their hearts but out of a desire to form a force big enough to make a coup...
Ask Cambina how the rangers used to get paid, and if it's continuing. If they are NOT getting paid, and they used to be, ask if they will accept a stipend from the Crown. If they say no, ask if they'd be more willing to accept it if we promised to present the bill directly to Prince Julian upon his return, or what if the stipend came from me personally for the duration instead of the Crown? Eveyone appreciates their selfless service, but we'd be pleased to compensate them...
Assuming Solange brings this up at a routine Council dinner, Jerod undertakes an investigation into the transfer of funds, to see if anyone from the merchants or nobles are funneling funds to them or looking to acquire their support. And he looks to as well to undertake this themselves...if the Rangers are not being paid, its time the Crown (or perhaps Jerod himself) undertook to do this himself. He's been around Court life for a solid 18 years...he's gotta have funds stashed somewhere...:)
"Thank you, Jerod, I've already asked Cambina to look into the matter for me," Solange says, clearly a bit nettled.
Solange will also point out to Jerod that, while it's marginally appropriate for HER to offer to pay the Rangers out of her personal funds if they won't take Crown money, since she's the Royal riding out with them on a daily basis in Julian's absence, for HIM to do so would make it look in the city as if he were attempting to buy himself mercenaries for a takeover, and this would create a VERY poor impression of family stability. It would also look as if he's attempting to buy their support out from under the royal who's working with them. "I'm sure your intentions were of the best, but it's not the wisest strategy."
Oh, and since the cute orphans solution seems to be working so well on other fronts, if the rangers stay hostile to adult city volunteers, Solange will instead look to placing orphans in the 10-to- 14 age-equivalent range as new Ranger cadets, and redirecting the adult volunteers elsewhere.
The city slickers report tales of monsters still in Arden who will park their shit.
But none of the rangers report this? Could it be that the rangers are playing snipe hunt with the city boys, or have I seen any monsters?
Pay attention to the rangers' concerns about over-logging and over-hunting, and convey those concerns to my cousins, while keeping in mind that we DO need timber and meat, even if the rangers want to leave everything untouched.
There is no way you can feed a significant portion of the population of Amber from Arden (or at least the nearer reaches), certainly not with the number of rangers you've got to work with.
No, guess not. But at least we can supplement things for some volunteer rebuilders, maybe.
Since Shadow trade is going to be screwed up for a while, it is high time we found out what arable land there is beyond the Oisen Mountains. We could start giving out land grants for nobles, but that begs the question of who's going to be the serfs, and that spells trouble. Solange is in favor of instituting a Homestead Act instead -- quarter-sections, 160-acre plots, proving up claims, the whole shebang. Of course, this will work much better if we don't have Plains Indians living out beyond the mountains! What's out there?
Gerard wants to see Solange every day when she is in town. While he never really tells her he wishes she'd taken an assignment in the city, it's obvious that he misses her when she's not there.
Solange makes a point of seeing him every day that she can, and is happy to do so.
The doctors think that Gerard is ignoring their advice and overworking himself.
Solange does not see how an excess of paperwork could affect the leg bones, but encourages her father to spend time on physical therapy and to sleep when he wants to.
Felicity is more than happy to help in both the Folly charity effort (at least initially) and the memorial fundraising effort. The possibility of a hereditary peerage is a big motivator. However, what she really wants as a down payment is for a number of the young Royals to appear at a ball she is throwing. Can Solange arrange this?
And if this comes up, Jerod does some more digging to see who's talking to who and what hands are being pressed together amongst which families.
Solange will gladly mention this at dinner, and will be delighted to show up herself. She has no doubts of her ability to convince Vere that he ought to do it.
Vere sighs slightly. "A ball, Sister? Well, I have of course been given full training in dancing and all the courtly graces. I will not disappoint. I suppose I shall have to spend the evening fending off the advances of young women hoping to marry up?"
Solange pulls a face. "I don't doubt it. It'll be interesting to see just how many of the gentlemen who ignored me when I was "a ward of the family" pay me court now. And I'm afraid that glowering in a corner and refusing to dance would only make you more of a challenge." She smiles. "Still, Aunt Felicity knows how to throw a party, and it'll be a pleasant diversion from all the troubles."
"Well enough. Have no fear, Sister, I have been well taught the games of courtly politics, and shall put on my aspect of charm and grace. I shall even forego pedantry for the evening, and behave myself properly. I look forward to meeting your Aunt Felicity, and I shall give her no cause for offense nor concern."
Folly should realize that it's going to help her charity effort to show up. Paige probably knows enough people that she'd want to anyway, I hope. Lucas, if he is still in town, should jump at the chance for some sort of fashionable pursuit, no? Jerod will probably be willing to show up out of a sense of duty. Ossian, Cambina, and Martin are the wild cards, and Solange does not know what arguments to use to induce them to show, other than asking nicely, which she'll certainly do, and explaining about Aunt Felicity and the charity effort, which she'll also do. If that doesn't suffice, she'll need to know what their objections are first before attempting further persuasion.
Jerod's requirements for showing up are simple...:)...Is he invited?... and is it an interesting party?. If its boring, then he only shows up he is has to.
Aunt Felicity usually throws excellent parties.
Ah good...then Jerod has a very convenient (and totally honest) excuse to avoid any other desperately boring events that might be underway at the same time...:)
Lucas will show up, if for no other reason than to scope out the noble fuck pool.
Paige is more than willing to attend, asking Martin to accompany her, if they're still on speaking terms, which is currently questionable... If he declines, I'm sure she can find an eligible bachelor that's a regular at the Retreat...
Folly will attend. She'll even let someone else -- probably Paige or Lucas -- help her find something appropriate to wear (though if the skirt is long enough, she might still try to wear combat boots underneath it....)
Will Lucas need to hire jack booted thugs to make sure you dress appropriately?
[Folly]
A withering glance or two will probably be sufficient. Probably. :)
[Lucas]
Not sure if withering would be the word. Probably "long suffering". He
inherited it from his mother. The "Dear god you're not going to inflict
this on me, are you?" look.
"A ball. I haven't been on one since..., you wouldn't really call that thing a ball. Sure, I'll join in. I might need a dancing instructor, though." Ossian smiles "I don't even know what kind of dances you dance here."
Solange cheerfully digs up copies of "Orchesography" and Playford's "The English Dancing Master" or whatever the closest local equivalents are. She'll even spare a few afternoons here and there to teach Ossian her favorite, a flashily-ornamented but mid- paced basse dance called "Lauro," and promises to dance it with him at the ball.
Ossian enjoys the lessons, and learns fast, as dancing seems to come natuarally to him. He obviously has danced before, if not the dances danced in Amber. Soon he goes into improvising mood.
The next person in line for Bellum will be taken as Ambassador...I believe that would be the charge d'affaire (if I remember my diplomatic training properly). He or she will be permitted to offer credentials to the Court (and this will be used as one of the first reasons for the re-establishment of Court, to get things rolling there).
There is a charge d'affaires, and he will present his credentials to Prince Gerard if permitted. Gerard wants to be present for the initial court session for this reason.
Jerod will arrange an "unofficial" court session first, with Gerard and a few other note-worthies that would be required for this, plus the charge d'affaires, and not in Gerard's bedchamber, to get the process underway. A formal court session with the official exchange can (and will) be arranged later. This should meet the necessities for protocol and still keep things in hand.
For the remaining Ambassadors, given what Jerod has been advised from Martin about shadow and such, he will inform them that transportation will not be immediately forthcoming ...
There is a LOT of grumbling about this, but since the people with actual ambassadors are Golden Circle, they'll be quiet. For a while, anyway.
Jerod will make sure that the Ambassadors have just enough leeway that they can come speak to him if needs be. He will also keep an eye on them and get an idea which one is likely to be the first one to try something incredibly dumb (like going to the nobles or merchant houses for outside support, either deliberately or indirectly to undermine the Council's efforts)...he's pretty sure someone will try it and when it happens, that one gets made a "private" example of...
What's the current state of Oberon's intelligence service? Are any of his agents still around that Jerod would know about...the best person to speak to about this would be Martin I believe...Jerod would like to use a few to keep an eye on some people...:)
[merchant-noble relations]
If the merchant houses are damaged irreparably to the benefit of
the nobility, then the council would find it necessary to balance the
situation....
Jerod thinks the nobles are trying to kick the merchant companies while they are down. The merchants have lost a lot, because they're going to lose everything that was out at the time of the Sundering. There will be loans coming due based on those cargoes that the merchants will have to pay out of something.
A long term repayment schedule for loans will be worked out, with some of the loans being negated if necessary. Cases for negatement of outstanding debt will be handled on a case by case basis...while there are sure to be some losses, the effort will be to spread the loss in selected areas so that critical merchant groups and nobles that will be required for rebuilding once shadow can be re-opened are in a position to quickly assist with this.
Consequently, that means that not everyone probably can be saved and there will be some losses amongst both sides. While Jerod will do what he can and work with others to find solutions to try to offset this, in some cases there will be some who are simply "expendable" (not to be nasty about it, but it happens). In that case, they lose. Jerod's efforts during the first year (we'll use for the moment) will be to ensure that the ones that lose are not the ones that Amber will need in the near future.
Which brings up another question: the interest alone may break some of the merchant houses. One of the possibilities the merchants suggest is that there be a proscription on usury for the duration of the crisis.
Jerod would agree with this and talks to Paige and the judges about this, asking if they would check the law and determine suitable guidelines for the creation of a law against usury. While there is certain to be resistance, he'll make sure first that Gerard doesn't have a problem with it, then they get it put into law. And then Jerod will make sure that every noble and merchant house (and private money-lender) is made aware of the law. The official acceptance of the law no doubt will take place and we'll watch for the inevitable sign of someone trying to violate it...they'll be dealt with.
Gerard wants to meet with Jerod on a daily basis to keep up with events. He has a surprisingly good instinct for princely gestures, and he's been dealing with some of these people for far longer than Jerod's been alive.
Jerod is very glad that his friend survived his accident, though at the moment for purely "greedy" reasons like being able to occasionally pick his brain for those princely gestures...:), as well as getting a handle on the behaviour of the various nobles and merchant houses. As such, Jerod will keep Gerard updated, but will not always keep running to him...he knows that Gerard needs to heal up and will limit the amount of time spent with him. And if that becomes a problem, Jerod will explain that to Gerard...he's the Regent after all and he needs to be healthy in the long run, not just now. And sometimes that means unpleasant sacrifices on his part...like resting...:)
Vialle enjoys Jerod's visits. Likewise, Cambina makes time to see her brother on a daily basis.
And vice versa...they are among those few people that he can privately talk about stuff that has been happening, to seek advice, as well as just "talk"...:)
One more thing: What sort of a priority do you set on digging out the Pattern chamber, and how do you go about doing this? Especially given that the existence of the Pattern is something of a state secret?
I'm willing to abide be majority opinion, here. Vere thinks getting the Pattern dug out is important, but he'll be quick to point out that he has a particular and selfish interest in so doing.
Those engineers who were used in the original efforts to get Gerard out...let's see about checking on their credentials...any signs of potentially "unreliability".
Assuming not, then a selected group of people should be acquired to do some digging. Officially, they're digging out the old tunnels and passageways. We can quietly drop the line that some of Oberon's gold reserves are down there, or other such tid-bit.
Cambina suggests that if this rumor gets started we might have another collapse of the castle as fortune hunters went digging in the caves under Kolvir.
LOL...would deal with some of the riff-raff though...:)
In any event, Jerod's sure a reason for doing the digging can be found that will be suitably palatable without compromising security.
[Vere]
Let's just be certain that they don't dig so far into the chamber that
someone accidentally sets foot on the partially buried Pattern.
"I suppose that would tell us we'd found it." Jerod would say. "But you're right...it would be quite bad, for anyone."
Last modified: 30 Dec 2001