6 June 2004

In which Lisle and Yosannah are 'in' over their heads.

You prepare to use your Pattern Imprint to move through Shadow.

You begin to add your desires to this place, subtracting that which is incompatible.

...passing through Shadow...

Outside the Keep of Four Worlds

On one side lies a massive mountain range cut of sharp stone. Opposite it there is a sprawling field of lava and geysers, smoke and steam billowing from it incessantly. Behind you extends a brilliant bone-white expanse of ice lashed by perpetual gusts of sweeping snow, and in the distance ahead rises a slate grey, storm-tossed sea swollen with white-crested waves. The centerpiece, however, is an immense edifice far larger than most castles, built in a jumble of architectural styles. The sky is a patchwork of cloud and light, and a powerful, incessant wind roars over it all.

Obvious exits:

Keep of Four Worlds

Shadows finally assume the form you desire.

You stare at the image of Yosannah...

You have established contact with Yosannah.

To the image of Yosannah, Lisle stands somewhere, mountains behind her. She seems chilly, but says, "Yosannah, I have found, or rather remembered, a place for us to make our last ring."

The image of Yosannah rises, "Now?" She adjust her cap atop her head and nods, "And where are you? What is this place you've remembered?"

To the image of Yosannah, Lisle says, "Well, it is my uncle Brand's place. He didn't precisely say I could do anything here, but I think he meant /inside/. It is the outside that is interesting. It is the convergence of four shadows and highly prone to magic."

The image of Yosannah raises a brow in realization. She intones, "The Keep of Four Worlds?" Her brow raises, impressed.

To the image of Yosannah, Lisle says, "Indeed. The Keep of the Four Worlds. There is something deadly dangerous inside. We better not go in there. He does not give warnings lightly."

To the image of Yosannah, Lisle says, "I also have to ask you not to, well, draw any cards. I know the Guards, as I have been here numerous times. But we shall have to be somewhat distant from the Keep proper."

The image of Yosannah says "That I might get a glimpse of the place is worth such a deal, Lisle." She nods intently, "Truly. Pull me through then, Lady."

You offer to pull Yosannah through.

Yosannah grasps your hand and you pull her through.

Yosannah has arrived.

We stand upon one of the foothills of the mountains whose peaks rise sharply behind. The Keep itself can be seen through trees and is some distance below where the Guards are prominent. Lisle says, "I have seen them, and told them I wanted to do some experimenting up here. They know me, though I have not come here in the last year."

Just beyond where Lisle and Yosannah stand is the ocean side of the Keep. "We must be careful. The magics are strange here."

Yosannah stands quietly beside the Princess for a long moment. She takes in the view, admiring the landscape and the Keep as it rises through the tree line. "Corey told me of this place once. He meant to show me onces upon a time." She sniffs at the air and nods, "Strange magics... yes, I see what you mean."

Lisle says, "Corey? I do not know such a person," it occurs, "Unless you mean Corwin. But I did not know -he- came here. This is the domain of Brand and Jasra. And I shall bring you here someday with his blessing -- inside. But look, if we cannot have the academy, here might do interesting things."

Yosannah raises a brow, "I'm sorry. Merlin. When we first met I knew only his Earth name. Merle Corey." She smiles at the lady, "The last name stuck." She nods, "But I'd love to come back another time." Her grin turns coy, "Under less auspicious circumstances of course."

Lisle says, "Ah, I have never met him," but she looks interested. "I have always wanted to. And well yes, less auspicious. We just need to be careful," she repeats, as though by repeating it she will fend off 'accidents'.

Yosannah regards her, sidelong. Lisle's worry resonating with her now as evidenced by the crease at her forehead. She offers, in an effort to reassure, "We've had good luck so far, Lisle. Despite a number of mishaps."

Lisle says, "We have. Well, let us go to it. I have my spells hung." She sits on a flat rocks, to concentrate, her sword out at an odd ankle, one long leg extended.

Yosannah moves to stand adjacent the woman. In her hand a tarot trimmed in silver and cobalt blue. She rolls it between her fingers skillfully. "I'm ready."

Lisle inhales, hands coming out, palms up, almost as if in worship. For those who can see, a sigil glows in front of her. It begins a counterclockwise rotation.

Yosannah crouches to the ground as Lisle works. She traces her finger in the dirt. First, a circle and then an image. Could it be a sketch of the Keep beyond the tree line? She rests her elbow on her knee and tilts her head to inspect her work. Seemingly satisfied, she sets the tarot at the center of the image.

Lisle concentrates, the disk spilling colored blue and brown of bronze, twisting. She has to stand, the sword getting in the way. Things seem to be going well, when the ring wobbles, as if unstable. Lisle misses this wobble because she stands.

Yosannah rises as well, paying little heed to Lisle's actions at this point, intent as she is on the matters at hand. She gestures above the insignia at her feet, fingers flitting in a circular pattern. Dirt and sand begin to swirl about the glyph and the tarot, rising upward.

In the distance, from the very peeks of the mountains, a slow and subtle rumbling echoes across the foothills.

During the distant rumbling, a pattern of waves takes up resident along Lisle's spinning ring. Flecks of silver intertwine with the bronze, the surface waves cause its shape to be a little lumpy. And there is nothing but quizzical alarm on Lisle's face as she watches this occur. Her reaction, a wry, "Oh dear."

The tarot disintegrates amidst a swirl of dust and rock. Whirling before Yosannah, two rings begin to materialize and take form as the funnel of earth grows in diameter and height.

The ground under the women's feet begins to rumble. Nearby, a flock of birds lift from a tree and retreat toward the Keep.

A trickle of water runs from Lisle's brown, under her chin, a remarkable event that indicates just how hard she's working on this unstable ring. A chill wind blows from the distant ice. Strained, "Yosannah, we better do the binding soon." Her understated claim is calm and serious.

Yosannah opens her mouth to comment as the ground quakes. She falters in her step and is forced to open her arms wide in an effort to regain her balance. Her gaze meets Lisle's, finally, "It's ready. Guide yours into the funnel."

Lisle lifts a hand and the ring, now mottled brown and silver, moves toward Yosannah's funnel. Another trickle of sweat curling around her cheek. It wobbles a few times on the way. The closer it gets the faster it moves, as if it will fuse to the other rings. Lisle says, "It is almost as though it has a mind own," with some distress.

Yosannah has little time to consider the woman's words though there is a knot of worry at the center of her brow. Her steps falter again and she is forced to widen her stance and bend at the knee so as not to be tumbled to the ground. With one arm extended wide in an effort to maintain balance, the other reaches for the artifact at the center of the tunnel. With a thrust of her wrist the three segments find one another at the center of the chaos. There is no flash at the moment of joining though the earthen funnel collapses in on itself. Instead, the ring hovers before the women and a wave of invisible energy passes from the object to the depths of their minds. "... I am ******..." comes a whisper.

The rumbling might have caused Lisle to be unbalanced, but the ring's response is her undoing. She falls onto her behind, hard and says, "By the Unicorn. Yosannah," she turns to the woman, lifting her eyes, "Did you hear that? Or was it just me?"

The ring descends slowly to the earth and settles quiet and still. There is silence in the hills once more.

Yosannah's eyes go wide as she regards the thing that sits between them. "No, I heard it." She makes no gesture to retrieve the thing, "What did we do," she inquires slowly, deliberately.

Lisle turns to Yosannah, "I cannot say. Perhaps it is the place." Her fine blue eyes turn to look at the ring -- big enough for a wrist, like all the others -- in some awe. "I think it would be wise if we left, however."